Tonight, the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League kick off with two mouth-watering contests. Arsenal will take on reigning champions Real Madrid in what promises to be a scintillating repeat of their 2005-2006 round-of-16 tie. Bayern vs Inter will be played at the same time in Munich. By the end of the night, we should have a clearer picture of the teams that’ll grace the UCL semis.
Bayern vs Inter: Clash Of the Titans
Sitting six points above second-placed Bayer Leverkusen with just 10 games left, Bayern Munich are favorites to win the Bundesliga. They surrendered the crown to Leverkusen last season after winning it for 11 consecutive seasons. Aided by their goal-hungry forwards Bayern are odds-on favorites to secure their 34th title. Having been dumped out of the DFB Pokal by Leverkusen, Die Roten will view their tie with Internazionale as a must-win.
Earlier in the season Inter Milan looked out of contention for the Scudetto. February’s 3-0 walloping by Fiorentina had folks questioning the Nerazzuri’s title credentials. Simone Inzaghi’s men have refused to give up their crown without a fight. They have clawed their way back to the top of the Serie A standings. With Napoli just three points below them, the Milanese club doesn’t have the luxury their Munich rivals do.
Harry Kane’s Dream Season
Bundesliga title 34 will be a return to business as usual for the Bavarians and their fans. Not for Harry Kane. The English striker has been thirsting for a major title since he turned pro 15 years ago. Not that he is without personal accolades, he has a few Premier League Golden Boots and one from the 2018 World Cup. Few soccer fans don’t feel for the forward due to his lack of team honors.
He will relish the opportunity to break his trophy duck with a double. Kane reached the UCL finals with Tottenham Hotspurs in 2019 and will be hoping to go a step further with Bayern. At 31 years of age even he will admit his powers are waning. This is Kane’s best shot at not just one but two major titles. Bayern vs Inter will take on greater urgency for him in light of this.
Vincent’s Vindication
It will also be a maiden top-flight title for Vincent Kompany as a coach. And boy, won’t the Belgian relish rubbing this victory in the face of his very vocal critics. Many don’t comprehend how relegation with Burnley last season earned him the top job at Germany’s biggest club. Kompany will have done enough to prove himself a worthy successor to Thomas Tuchel by restoring the Meisterschale to Bavaria. Adding the Big Ears to the cabinet will silence his haters for good.
Inter’s Flowers
Like his Bayern adversary, Inter’s head coach feels he has a point to prove. Despite being crowned Serie A champions last season and being one of Italy’s most consistent teams, Inter never gets its flowers. “…the lads have been great. I continue to praise them…because I hear very little praise around,” Inzaghi lamented after they dumped Feyernoord out of UCL contention. Anyone who follows the competition will agree that Internazionale is rarely mentioned among title favorites.
Bayern vs Inter is replete with juicy little sub-plots. The feisty underdog who’s overgrown the tag. The coach who was written off by many before the season started. The veteran striker hoping to win his first trophy. Even neutrals won’t want to take their eyes off this one.
